Flight safety international

epilotdream91

Well-Known Member
i had a recent interview with FSI not too long ago for CFI position in vero beach FL. If there is anyone that works there on this forum, whats starting pay for a guy with only CFI-A? Hows QOL in vero? How many hours per month should one expect?
 
i had a recent interview with FSI not too long ago for CFI position in vero beach FL. If there is anyone that works there on this forum, whats starting pay for a guy with only CFI-A? Hows QOL in vero? How many hours per month should one expect?
Since you're moving from NY for the job, I'd probably suggest shooting out a "Oh, by the way, I'm looking at purchasing a car/condo/whatever, could you talk to me about total compensation my first year" telephone call.
 
i had a recent interview with FSI not too long ago for CFI position in vero beach FL. If there is anyone that works there on this forum, whats starting pay for a guy with only CFI-A? Hows QOL in vero? How many hours per month should one expect?
I've got Bruce Whitman's cell number if you want to call him and ask...
 
Thanks everyone for the timely responses, i will be contacting them today.

Old guy advice: Don't do this again. Pilots are known for going "all in" and then a week later, complaining about wages and benefits which they voluntarily signed up for.
 
Old guy advice: Don't do this again. Pilots are known for going "all in" and then a week later, complaining about wages and benefits which they voluntarily signed up for.
Thanks a lot, i really love this forum because of experienced and caring people like you and others around. I love getting advice from you gentlemen, i read on here everyday because there is always something new i can learn. This is my FIRST aviation Job, im sure there are mistakes to be made but with this family ive aquired on this forum hopefully they wont be as bad haha. Again thank you so much, looking forward for the job!
 
First hand experience here. Do NOT start working until you know what you will be paid or to which program you will be assigned. AND get it in writing.....even if it's an email. I made this very critical mistake and my time with FSI was not a fun experience. The instructors are great people but management will lie to your face.

Remember, a verbal contract is not worth the paper it's written on!
 
From what I remember when I worked there - pay depends on a few things. What program will you be hired into? (I think most get hired into the 141 program then you have to apply and be accepted into the Swiss program or Korean Air program. Those programs pay better than the 141 side I believe). Pay was $16 or $16.50 an hour. 35 hours a week (they want all part time employees so they don't pay benefits). However, I had my MEI and there were only a handful of instructors with it. So they "approved" overtime to work no more than 50 hours a week to get a lot of the multi engine guys finished. Helped the pay check a bit but still no benefits...

QOL is fine. It was just ok for me. But I'm a big guy that loves the cold. I sweat if it gets above 65 degrees. So you can imagine my comfort level instructing in close quarters during Florida summers. You are required to wear the uniform, but I had to roll up the pant legs on every flight. With that said, when I wasn't working there was lots to do. Usually just go to another instructors apartment for a party on the weekend. Couple good bars "downtown." Went and saw a shuttle launch. Visited some family in West Palm Beach. Did Busch Gardens in Tampa. There's plenty to do an see, not necessarily in Vero though.

Flight time: Depends on where your students are in their syllabus. I have no idea what the private pilot 141 syllabus is like there. So I can't offer much help. Generally a few ground lessons, a few sim lessons, then the flights begin with a couple more ground and sims mixed in. You can probably get close to 100 hours a month of flight time though, if you stay busy and have a constant stream of 5 students or so.

On the 141 side once your students get their private you're done with them. They will go on to private multi and all their training will be done in the seminole. Whereas I think you keep your students in the Swiss and Korean Air programs. I believe you need to have your CFII and MEI to be part of those programs though. Maybe they've become lenient on the MEI part. In the past, they were desperate for instructors to get their MEI so they actually paid for you to get it. Again, might have changed.
 
From what I remember when I worked there - pay depends on a few things. What program will you be hired into? (I think most get hired into the 141 program then you have to apply and be accepted into the Swiss program or Korean Air program. Those programs pay better than the 141 side I believe). Pay was $16 or $16.50 an hour. 35 hours a week (they want all part time employees so they don't pay benefits). However, I had my MEI and there were only a handful of instructors with it. So they "approved" overtime to work no more than 50 hours a week to get a lot of the multi engine guys finished. Helped the pay check a bit but still no benefits...

QOL is fine. It was just ok for me. But I'm a big guy that loves the cold. I sweat if it gets above 65 degrees. So you can imagine my comfort level instructing in close quarters during Florida summers. You are required to wear the uniform, but I had to roll up the pant legs on every flight. With that said, when I wasn't working there was lots to do. Usually just go to another instructors apartment for a party on the weekend. Couple good bars "downtown." Went and saw a shuttle launch. Visited some family in West Palm Beach. Did Busch Gardens in Tampa. There's plenty to do an see, not necessarily in Vero though.

Flight time: Depends on where your students are in their syllabus. I have no idea what the private pilot 141 syllabus is like there. So I can't offer much help. Generally a few ground lessons, a few sim lessons, then the flights begin with a couple more ground and sims mixed in. You can probably get close to 100 hours a month of flight time though, if you stay busy and have a constant stream of 5 students or so.

On the 141 side once your students get their private you're done with them. They will go on to private multi and all their training will be done in the seminole. Whereas I think you keep your students in the Swiss and Korean Air programs. I believe you need to have your CFII and MEI to be part of those programs though. Maybe they've become lenient on the MEI part. In the past, they were desperate for instructors to get their MEI so they actually paid for you to get it. Again, might have changed.
Excellent thank you!!
 
Ill second that. I worked there in 07-08 and the pay was around 16 an hour. They have the program where you sign a contract and then get your CFI/II/MEI paid for, could be worth it to you. Everyone is different.

Vero is also known as Zero Beach, things close early and its generally pretty calm. If you're looking for adventure, head south to the Palm beach, Ft Laud areas, or head over to Orlando. Melbourne isn't a bad town either. Make friends, hang out, enjoy the beach.
 
My start date is june, they'll tell me about benefits and pay when i officially begin.

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Seriously though, it's your first aviation job so you'll learn, but I'll reiterate what others have said in here; do not put yourself in a situation where you're taking a job without knowing big details, such as pay and bennies!

For example, even though airline/charter pay rates and benefits are posted on every pilot forum out there, during an interview I had last year I still asked, "What's my pay going to be? When does it go up and what is that based on? What about benefits? What do you cover? What don't you cover? When will I be eligible? Retirement? Contributions? Match? Vacation/eligibility? Sick time/personal time?" Obviously if they mention if in your interview, jot it down, but I've had a few interviews where they didn't mention much of anything, and it was up to me to ask them about it.

Remember, you're interviewing them just as much as they're interviewing you. I know that especially starting off in this career, it can be exciting to get a job where you're now paid to fly an airplane, but don't let that blind you and cause a company to use you. Don't be taken for a ride, especially if you're moving across the country for a job. It would suck to pick up and move your life, only to find out when you get there that they pay min wage with no insurance or benefits.
 
2791433.jpg


Seriously though, it's your first aviation job so you'll learn, but I'll reiterate what others have said in here; do not put yourself in a situation where you're taking a job without knowing big details, such as pay and bennies!

For example, even though airline/charter pay rates and benefits are posted on every pilot forum out there, during an interview I had last year I still asked, "What's my pay going to be? When does it go up and what is that based on? What about benefits? What do you cover? What don't you cover? When will I be eligible? Retirement? Contributions? Match? Vacation/eligibility? Sick time/personal time?" Obviously if they mention if in your interview, jot it down, but I've had a few interviews where they didn't mention much of anything, and it was up to me to ask them about it.

Remember, you're interviewing them just as much as they're interviewing you. I know that especially starting off in this career, it can be exciting to get a job where you're now paid to fly an airplane, but don't let that blind you and cause a company to use you. Don't be taken for a ride, especially if you're moving across the country for a job. It would suck to pick up and move your life, only to find out when you get there that they pay min wage with no insurance or benefits.
i gave them a call, and asked for all this information and the pay is 16 starting without the dual given minimum they have. After you get up to the Dual mins you get a pay raise to 19. I have a buddy that interviewed with me, hes down there at indoc and told me pretty much the same thing.
 
Assuming they still exist as I've been gone for years, get into one of the non-141 programs ASAP. Swiss, RWL, PTN.

You'll get a different experience than just tooling around practice area C doing stalls and then going back to the pattern to do landings. The pay is better and the students are (generally) better with more aptitude for flying than what you are going to get with the 141 guys.

Listen and learn the "FlightSafety way" during standardization, they will not accept flying any other way. Their numbers, their procedures, their callouts. If you fly with AH you can butter him up by talking about NASCAR.....

Good Luck.
 
Assuming they still exist as I've been gone for years, get into one of the non-141 programs ASAP. Swiss, RWL, PTN.

You'll get a different experience than just tooling around practice area C doing stalls and then going back to the pattern to do landings. The pay is better and the students are (generally) better with more aptitude for flying than what you are going to get with the 141 guys.

Listen and learn the "FlightSafety way" during standardization, they will not accept flying any other way. Their numbers, their procedures, their callouts. If you fly with AH you can butter him up by talking about NASCAR.....

Good Luck.
This applies to most people in the South, doesn't it? :D
 
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